Drunkard's Walk
Drunkard's Walk is an extremely ambitious "universe-hopping fan fiction series" by Robert M. Schroeck, best known professionally as a writer for Steve Jackson Games, starring Douglas Sangnoir, a character designed for the Warriors' World setting, on which Schroeck's book GURPS International Super Teams was based. The title comes from a mathematical concept in which an individual takes discrete steps in a plane, in a random selection of the four cardinal directions, including the one from which it came. In such a scenario, it has been mathematically proven that, given sufficient time, the individual will reach its goal. Likewise, Sangnoir travels more or less randomly from universe to universe, hoping to eventually return home. Douglas Sangnoir Douglas Sangnoir, also known as "Looney Toons" (a name Schroeck has used himself on such sites as TV Tropes), is a superhero with a number of powers, most notably an improbability field and a broken "magegift" which causes uncontrollable magical effects as a result of listening to songs. A small subset of these songs can open portals to other universes; however, he has no way of knowing what lies on the other side. Steps Currently, fourteen "steps" are planned or written for the Drunkard's Walk. # Mercedes Lackey's Velgarth # Bubblegum Crisis # Kodocha (Kodomo no Omocha) # The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension # Oh! My Goddess!/In Nomine (fanfic crossover) # Neon Genesis Evangelion # Revolutionary Girl Utena # Harry Potter # The Borribles # Zeiram (multi-fanfic crossover: Legion's Quest, Sailor Moon Expanded) # Sister Princess # Sakura Taisen # Buffy The Vampire Slayer In addition, an unnumbered Sailor Moon step is planned, taking place "at some unspecified point between Steps V and X." Drunkard's Walk II The first step to be completed, DW2 comprises fifteen chapters, not counting prologue and epilogues, and was written over the course of five and a half years. It is set in the world of the popular anime series Bubblegum Crisis, following the end of the final OVA. Drunkard's Walk V This step, the second completed, is presented as a sequel to the fanfic Oh! My Brother!, and is co-written with its author, Christopher Angel. The first chapter was released 15 October 2004, and the final chapter was released (after a nearly 4-year hiatus) 1 June 2012. At the beginning of this step, Douglas finds himself in a most unpleasant situation: he strongly dislikes and distrusts nearly all gods, and he has come face-to-face with four of them. Not only that, but three of them are avatars of the three Fates, who he has particular reason to distrust. In addition, through a combination of curiosity and pettiness, one of them, the Child aspect named Skuld, has disassembled his prize motorcycle, and weeks of work will be required to reassemble it. In the meantime, he must cope with being the houseguest of a group of Celestials, his own diminishing hope of ever returning home, and a demon named Mara who has gained an interest in the new arrival. Drunkard's Walk VIII The fourth DW story begun, chronologically, it places Doug in the world of Harry Potter, during the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The first chapter was released 6 July 2012 and rapidly followed by the second chapter on 31 August 2012. In it, Doug awakens after his latest world jump facing a dragon in Romania. His response earns him the respect of its keepers, particularly Charlie Weasley. Charlie brings him to England to get help from Albus Dumbledore in finding a way home -- and just incidentally lands him with a job as Defense professor at Hogwarts before the Ministry can appoint Dolores Umbridge to the position. A week's stay at 12 Grimmauld Place introduces him to many of the core cast of the Potter books, but Doug is focused on the tasks before him and pays little mind to the band of teenagers already in the house. As of the end of the second chapter, though, this is bound to change as the first day of school is about to begin. Drunkard's Walk XIII Co-written with fellow Warriors' World player Helen "Wetter Hexe" Imre, this Step is the third begun, but has only one released chapter so far (in March 2011). In it, Doug awakens in a desert and follows a far-off plume of dark magical energy to its source -- the town of Sunnydale, California. There he and Eimi (an artificial intelligence who joined his travels in the prologue to the related story Legend of Galactic Girls) settle in for what he thinks will be just another ordinary world -- until he discovers evidence of vampires in the town. Meanwhile the Hellgod Glory is settling in as well... Crossovers Drunkard's Walk, in addition to being a mega-crossover by design, also features a number of crossovers with other fanfics. Chief among these are steps five and ten, detailed above. In general, it has crossed over (and will again) with Ed Becerra's Legion's Quest, establishing it as sharing the same "meta-continuity," which also includes Twisted Path and Sailor Moon Expanded. See the Transfictional Continuum page for more details. Reaction Drunkard's Walk has been featured on at least one list of the Internet's best fan fiction. In addition, it has spawned a popular discussion forum and a set of its own fanfics. External links * Drunkard's Walk main page * Frequently asked questions * Drunkard's Walk forums Category:Fan Fiction